The Championships comprises two categories, namely the Senior division (for boys and girls aged 13 years and under or Primary 6 level), and the Junior division (for boys and girls aged 11 years and under or Primary 4 and 5 levels).

The Senior division players will compete over two days on 25-26 April from 2 to 6 pm at Junyuan Primary School, which is located at Tampines. A total of 18 schools and 23 teams have signed up. Some of the participating schools include Junyuan Primary School, Beacon Primary School and Farrer Park Primary School.

The Junior division players will compete in November at the same venue.

Tchoukball is a non-contact team sport that combines elements of volleyball, handball and basketball. It is played on an indoor court about the size of a basketball court or outdoors in the field. The emphasis of Tchoukball is on speed, teamwork and strategy, and the need for keen observation and situation awareness. The sport can be played by all students of diverse physical and sporting abilities.

A modified version of the sport was first introduced to schools in Singapore in late 2006. Starting with five schools, Tchoukball has been introduced to more than 40 primary schools, with many schools also establishing the sport as a CCA. It is also a popular sport being played increasingly in secondary schools, ITEs, polytechnics and the universities.

The inaugural Inter Primary School Tchoukball Championships started in 2008. Each year, between 11 to 15 schools take part, sending in a total of around 40 teams in both divisions. Nearly 2,500 players have taken part in the last five years’ of competition.

Ms Ginney Lim, General Manager of SPH Foundation, said: “SPH Foundation is pleased to be the event's title sponsor for the second year running. We believe in the importance of sports in promoting an active and healthy lifestyle and inculcating values such as teamwork, discipline and sportsmanship. As Tchoukball can be played by students of different physical and sporting abilities, it also embraces diversity and inclusiveness."

Mr Jeff Ang, General Secretary of the Tchoukball Association of Singapore, said: “Through SPH Foundation’s support last year, 2012 saw our Senior and Junior competition record the highest numbers of schools taking part – 44 schools for both boys and girls divisions, up from 31. We are pleased to see more schools taking an interest in the sport, signing up for our “Learn to Play” programme or setting up a Tchoukball CCA. SPH Foundation’s support will go a long way in building up the profile of the sport so that it can thrive and flourish among the schools.”

Invitation to media

We would like to invite the media to the SPH Foundation National Primary Schools Tchoukball Championships 2013.

The Singapore Press Holdings Foundation, a registered charity and an Institution of Public Character, was first set up as the Press Foundation of Singapore in January 2003 to help build a lifelong learning community that embraces language enrichment, creativity, diversity, healthy living and sports. The seed contribution of $20 million to the Foundation came from media group Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. It was renamed Singapore Press Holdings Foundation in May 2005.